Tehran Times

Hossein Asqari said neighboring countries specially Russia were the major export destinations of the Iranian vegetables during the ten-month period, IRIB reported.

The official said Iran exported 2.9 million tons of vegetables in the past Iranian calendar year.

He said 65-70 percent of the country’s seed requirement is domestically met and put the annual need for seed at about 4,000-4,500 tons.

Last week, French seed maker Vilmorin, said it was continuing some exports to Iran with the backing of a French bank, and will participate in efforts to implement a European scheme to avoid U.S. sanctions targeting trade with Tehran, Reuters reported.

Vilmorin, one of the world’s largest suppliers of seeds for grain and vegetable crops, has cited the U.S. sanctions against Iran as among the short-term risks to its activities in emerging markets.

Food and agricultural goods are not directly targeted by U.S. sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program.

The seed maker is considering taking part in a proposed European scheme, known as INSTEX, to conduct non-dollar trade with Iran via a barter system that would avert U.S. penalties.